Miners trapped: Now freed from debris, some stay trapped for fear of arrest
| JOHANNESBURG
At least 21聽miners聽in South Africa who were trapped by debris in an abandoned mine shaft and later rescued face charges of聽illegal聽mining, authorities said Monday.
Ten聽miners聽emerged from the mine shaft near Johannesburg on Monday, one day after emergency responders rescued a group of 11, the South African Press Association reported. The men were in good health and rescue workers handed them over to police.
Emergency workers have said some of the聽miners聽who were working聽illegally聽were reluctant to come out of the shaft because they feared arrest. The trapped聽miners聽were discovered after police patrolling in the area heard shouting beneath a mine entrance that had been blocked by a large boulder, according to local media.
"We had men who came halfway up the shaft but then turned around. Our rescue members cannot go down the shaft because it is too dangerous," the South African news agency quoted rescue worker David Tshabalala as saying.
It was unclear how many other聽miners聽were still below ground because those who have come out have not divulged information, he said. Food and water were sent down to the聽miners聽on Sunday.
"We will wait to see what the other聽miners聽that have been rescued can tell us and maybe we can negotiate with" the聽miners聽who remain underground, said Sugan Moodley, a spokesman for emergency services.
Penalties for聽illegal聽mining include fines and prison time in some cases.聽Illegal聽mining is common in South Africa, a major producer of gold and platinum.
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